1. Technical Field
This invention relates in general to hard disk drives and in particular to a shock dampening system for a hot-pluggable hard disk drive carrier.
2. Background Art
"Hot-pluggable" hard disk drives are removable during operation in a computer or peripheral systems environment. A drive is typically mounted in a hard disk drive carrier prior to installation in a system. A drive carrier is typically a frame-like metallic structure that attaches to the drive to assist in its insertion into or removal from the system. Drive carriers also protect the drive when it is outside of the system environment. The system usually contains several drive and carrier assemblies, each of which may be readily interchangeable in the system. Each assembly is mounted in a docking bay in a metal chassis located within a system enclosure.
Occasionally, the system and its hard disk drives will be exposed to shock vibration. Shock can be inflicted through a number of sources including incidental contact with the system enclosure or relocating the system. If the system is mounted on a portable rack with coasters, it will be subjected to some level of shock as it rolled between destinations. Since both the drive carriers and system enclosure chassis are constructed from metallic parts, the shock is readily and forcefully transmitted to the sensitive electronic components of the drives. Thus, with the typical shock vibration of 150 g's or more with a two to three millisecond duration, the drive performance of the drives can be reduced and their components can be damaged from such events. An improved shock dampening system interface for drive carriers and the systems they are mounted in is needed.